1 Samuel 15 31

1 Samuel 15:31 kjv

So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.

1 Samuel 15:31 nkjv

So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

1 Samuel 15:31 niv

So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

1 Samuel 15:31 esv

So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the LORD.

1 Samuel 15:31 nlt

So Samuel finally agreed and went back with him, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

1 Samuel 15 verses

1 Samuel 15 31 Meaning

1 Samuel 15:31 describes Samuel's action to turn back and accompany Saul, subsequently leading to Saul publicly bowing down in worship before the Lord. This verse highlights a moment of significant tension: despite God's decisive rejection of Saul as king due to his disobedience (declared irreversible by Samuel), the prophet temporarily complies with Saul's plea for public honor. Saul's ensuing act of worship, while outwardly pious, serves to underscore the theme of superficial devotion contrasted with true obedience, given his preceding actions and stated motivations for public appearance rather than genuine remorse.

1 Samuel 15 31 Context

1 Samuel 15 recounts God's command to Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites as an act of divine judgment (herem, total devotion to destruction). Saul disobeys by sparing King Agag and the best of the livestock, justifying it as a desire to sacrifice to the Lord. Samuel confronts Saul, delivering a profound prophecy that "to obey is better than sacrifice" (v. 22) and announcing God's rejection of Saul as king for his rebellion. Saul's subsequent "confession" (v. 24) appears motivated by fear of the people and concern for his reputation, rather than genuine repentance. He pleads for Samuel to return with him so that he can "worship the Lord" (v. 25). Samuel initially refuses, stating God's irrevocability, leading to Saul's desperate plea for honor before the elders (v. 30). Verse 31 directly responds to this, with Samuel turning back after Saul, allowing the king his public act of devotion. This public compliance by Samuel contrasts with the private, definitive rejection by God, highlighting the outward appearance versus inner reality of Saul's spiritual state.

1 Samuel 15 31 Word analysis

• "So Samuel turned back":

  • Hebrew: וַיָּשׇׁב שְׁמוּאֵל֙ (vayyāshov sh'mû'êl). Shuv (שׁוּב) means "to turn back," "return."
  • Significance: Samuel's reversal of his initial departure (1 Sam 15:26). This is a physical turning and an apparent concession to Saul's plea. It suggests Samuel's pragmatic understanding of the immediate political and social need, perhaps to preserve national order or for Samuel to complete his own divinely ordained task (executing Agag, v. 33). This is not an indication of God's changing His mind regarding Saul's kingship, but a necessary public act.

• "after Saul":

  • Hebrew: אַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁא֑וּל (aharê shā'ûl). Aharê means "after," "behind."
  • Significance: Samuel follows Saul. This simple description signifies a temporary, physical alignment for the sake of decorum or subsequent action, not an endorsement of Saul's character or reinstated divine favor. It underscores Saul's persistent desire for outward honor, compelling even the prophet to follow his lead momentarily.

• "and Saul worshipped":

  • Hebrew: וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ שָׁא֖וּל (vayyishtaḥaw shā'ûl). Shāḥah (שָׁחָה) means "to bow down," "prostrate oneself," "worship."
  • Significance: This is the act of physical prostration. It can denote homage, reverence, or religious worship. In this context, it's explicitly directed towards "the Lord." The key question is the genuineness of this worship. Given Saul's motivations for saving the best livestock for sacrifice and his later concern for his honor before the people, his worship here is seen as largely performative—an external act aimed at restoring public image rather than a sign of true contrition and submission to God's will.

• "the Lord":

  • Hebrew: לַֽיהוָֽה׃ (laYahweh). Refers to Yahweh, God's covenant name.
  • Significance: The specified recipient of Saul's worship. Despite the act being directed at Yahweh, its superficiality due to Saul's underlying disobedience renders it unacceptable in God's sight. It highlights the biblical principle that genuine worship stems from a right heart and obedience, not just outward ritual.

Word-Group Analysis:

• "So Samuel turned back after Saul": This phrase encapsulates Samuel's reluctant compliance with Saul's request for public accompaniment. It indicates a temporary acquiescence that enables Saul to maintain some semblance of his kingly dignity and to perform a religious rite publicly, despite God's pronouncements. This decision by Samuel allows for the management of a delicate public situation, recognizing Saul's enduring position as the public figurehead, even as God had internally rejected him.
• "and Saul worshipped the Lord": This concluding clause portrays Saul's public act of worship. This is not the worship of a repentant heart but part of a calculated performance to preserve his image and demonstrate a public devotion to Yahweh after Samuel's severe rebuke. This superficial act of devotion epitomizes the ongoing conflict in Saul between self-interest and genuine faith, highlighting his continued failure to internalize the demands of true submission to God.

1 Samuel 15 31 Bonus section

• The immediate purpose for Samuel's "turning back" can be multi-faceted: partly to allow Saul to fulfill his public desire to worship (thereby managing the optics of a public prophet abandoning a king), and also possibly as a precursor to Samuel himself fulfilling the herem command by executing Agag (1 Sam 15:33) – a gruesome but necessary act for the prophet, especially after the king failed.
• Saul's preoccupation with his "honor" (1 Sam 15:30) as a justification for his desperate pleas signifies his self-centered motivation for superficial "repentance," which contrasts sharply with genuine humility and contrition as seen in later figures like King David (Ps 51).
• The dramatic nature of this chapter highlights the stark difference between God's view of sin as rebellion against His word and humanity's tendency to rationalize disobedience or offer outward appeasements without true heart change.

1 Samuel 15 31 Commentary

1 Samuel 15:31 stands as a potent moment reflecting the complexity of obedience, divine judgment, and human pride. Samuel, having delivered the uncompromising divine verdict of God's rejection of Saul, nevertheless accedes to Saul's desperate plea for public validation by returning with him. This public yielding allows Saul to prostrate himself before Yahweh, an act which, on the surface, might appear as penitence. However, given Saul's preceding and subsequent actions – prioritizing his own honor over God's command, demonstrating a fear of man over the fear of God – this act of "worship" is largely interpreted as a hollow performance.

This verse starkly illustrates the enduring biblical principle that true worship is inseparable from obedience and a transformed heart (1 Sam 15:22; Hos 6:6; Matt 9:13). Saul’s "worship" here is devoid of genuine contrition for his disobedience, focusing instead on salvaging his image before the elders of Israel. It represents the grave danger of ritualistic observance detached from a submissive will and righteous living. Samuel’s difficult decision to return, in one sense, permitted Saul’s hypocritical act, but also facilitated Samuel’s own essential task: publicly affirming God's judgment and, soon after, personally executing Agag to fulfill the divine command where Saul failed. The scene thus underscores Saul's ongoing spiritual bankruptcy and sets the stage for God's raising up a man after His own heart.